Diocese of Lansing

2010 Priest Appointments and Transfers - updated 4/11/10

Bishop Earl Boyea announces the following priest appointments and transfers to take effect June 30, 2010 unless otherwise noted:

Reverend Steven Anderson - from administrator of Good Shepherd Parish, Montrose and part-time Chaplain of Father Luke M. Powers High School, Flint to administrator of Holy Redeemer Parish, Burton.

Fr. Anderson received a BA in Biblical literature and a master of divinity degree from Oral Roberts University. He completed formation for priesthood at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit and was ordained by Bishop Mengeling in 2003. Since October, 2007 he has been Chaplain of Father Luke M. Powers High School, Flint. He has served as Parochial Administrator to St. Mark the Evangelist , Goodrich since January, 2009.

Reverend David Hudgins - currently Pastor of St. Joseph Parish Adrian, to also be Pastor of St. Joseph Shrine Parish, Brooklyn.

Father Hudgins was ordained in June, 2001 after earning a Master of Divinity degree from Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit. He also has a B.A. from the College of Wiliam and Mary, an MSW from the University of Michigan, and a degree in Philosophy from St. John Seminary, Boston. After ordination he served at St. Thomas Aquinas, East Lansing and has been Pastor of St. Joseph, Adrian since June, 2004.

Reverend Prabhu Lakra - from Parochial Vicar of St. Gerard Parish, Lansing to Parochial Vicar of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Ann Arbor.

Father Lakra, of the Diocese of Gumla, India was ordained in 2002 after completing priesthood studies at St. Albert's Seminary in Ranchi. He came to the Diocese of Lansing in early 2006, serving in residence at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Flushing. He has been Parochial Vicar of St. Gerard Parish since July, 2006.

Reverend Timothy MacDonald - from Pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish, Burton to Pastor of Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish, Jackson.

Father MacDonald, a native of Flint, is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas / St. John Vianney Seminary, St. Paul, MN, the Pontifical North American College in Rome, and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He was ordained in 2000 and has served as Parochial Vicar of St. Gerard, Lansing and Pastor of Most Holy Trinity, Fowler. He has served as Pastor of Holy Redeemer since May, 2007.

Reverend Timothy Nelson - currently Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Flint to also serve as Chaplain of Father Luke M. Powers High School, Flint.

Father Nelson was ordained in 2000 after completing priesthood studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit. He was a cardiologist for 12 years prior to his entry to priesthood studies. After ordination he served Holy Redeemer Parish, Burton as Parochial Vicar then as Parish Administrator. He has been Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe since July, 2002.

Reverend Michael O’Brien - from Parochial Vicar of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, East Lansing to administrator of Good Shepherd Parish, Montrose and part-time Chaplain of Father Luke M. Powers High School, Flint.

Fr. O’Brien was ordained in 2005 following priesthood studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. He also has a BA in Criminal Justice and worked for a number of years for the Federal Bureau of Prisons prior to entering the seminary. He served Immaculate Heart of Mary from 2005-2009 and has been Parochial Vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas since July, 2009.

Reverend Carl Simon - from Pastor of St. Joseph Shrine Parish, Brooklyn to Parochial Vicar of St. John the Evangelist Parish, Davison.

Father Simon, a native of Williamston, was ordained in 1971 after completing priesthood studies at St. John Provincial Seminary, Plymouth. Pastorates in the Diocese of Lansing include St. Peter Blissfield and St. Michael, Grand Ledge. He has been Pastor of St. Joseph Shrine since 1999.

The following four men were ordained as priests on Friday, June 11 at St. Mary Cathedral. The men and their first Priesthood Assignment:

Rev. Anthony Strouse - Parochial Vicar of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, East Lansing. In Summer, 2011 he will begin graduate studies toward a License in Sacred Liturgy at the Liturgical Institute at the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Illinois.

Father Strouse is from St. Mary Parish, Williamston. He graduated from Lansing Catholic Central High School, and received a BA from St. John Vianney College Seminary and completed priesthood studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit. He has served at a number of parishes including Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish, Jackson, St. Francis of Assisi, Ann Arbor, and St. John the Evangelist, Fenton.

Reverend Mathias Thelen - Parochial Vicar of Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish, Jackson.

Father Thelen is a native of Fowler, graduating from Fowler High School. He earned a BA in philosophy from Grand Valley State University and completed priesthood studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit. He has served at St. Thomas the Apostle, Ann Arbor and St. Thomas Aquinas/St. John Student Center, East Lansing.

Reverend Pieter VanRooyen - Parochial Vicar of St. Gerard Parish, Lansing.

Father VanRooyen, whose home parish is St. Thomas Aquinas, East Lansing, graduated from Okemos High School and earned a BA in Mathematics from Michigan State University, completing priesthood studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit. He has served at Our Lady Guadalupe Parish, Flint and St. Mary Star of the Sea, Jackson.

Reverend Thomas Wasilewski - Parochial Vicar of St. Joseph Parish, Adrian and St. Joseph Shrine Parish, Brooklyn.

Father Wasilewski was born in Szczecin, Poland. His home parish is St. Thomas Aquinas, East Lansing. He graduated from Lansing Catholic Central High School, and received a BS in Geography and English from Central Michigan University. He completed priesthood studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit. He has served at St. John the Evangelist, Davison and St. Joseph Parish, Adrian.

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED

Reverend Charles Canoy - from Parochial Vicar of St. Andrew the Apostle, Saline, to faculty of Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit.

Father Canoy, a native of Columbia, MO, received a BS in Marketing from Indiana University and an M. Div. from Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit. He was ordained June 11, 2005 and has served as Parochial Vicar of St. Thomas the Apostle, Ann Arbor and St. Andrew, Saline.

Reverend John Linden – from Parochial Vicar of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Ann Arbor to Chair of the Central Service Department of Formation and Diocesan Director of Seminarians.

Father Linden, of Jackson, was ordained in 2007 after priesthood studies and earning a Master of Divinity Degree at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit. He has served at St. Francis of Assisi Parish since ordination. Prior to entering Sacred Heart he was a Franciscan Religious Brother.

Reverend James Lothamer, ss - from pastor of St. Agnes Parish, Fowlerville to Senior Priest status.

Father Lothamer was born in 1942 in Coldwater, MI and was ordained in 1968 after studies at St. John Provincial Seminary, Plymouth and the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. He has served on the faculty of St. Charles College Seminary and St. Mary Seminary in Catonsville, Maryland, St. Mary Seminary and University in Roland Park, Maryland and the Vatican II Institute in Menlo Park, California. He has served as Pastor of St. Agnes, Fowlerville since 2003.

Reverend Robert McGraw – from pastor of Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish, Jackson to Pastor of St. Agnes Parish, Fowlerville.

Father McGraw is a native of Flushing, Michigan and was ordained in 1976 after receiving a Master of Divinity Degree from St. John Provincial Seminary, Plymouth. Assignments in the diocese have included: St. Patrick, Brighton; SS Charles and Helena, Clio; St. Therese, Lansing; St. Robert Bellarmine, Flushing, and St. Michael, Grand Ledge. He was Chair of the Central Service Department of Formation and Director of Seminarians from 1987-92 and was Rector of Assumption Seminary, San Antonio, Texas from 1992-95. He has served as Pastor of Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish since 2004.

Reverend Jeffrey Poll – from Parochial Vicar of Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish, Jackson to Administrator of St. Mary Parish, Durand.

Father Poll is a native of Ann Arbor, Michigan. He received a BS in Sociology from the University of St. Thomas Bach, and completed priesthood studies at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mundelein, IL. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Lansing in 2005. Prior to serving at Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish he was Parochial Vicar at St. Patrick Parish, Brighton.

Reverend Gerald Vincke – from Chair of the Central Service Department of Formation and Diocesan Director of Seminarians to Spiritual Director of the Pontifical North American College, Rome.

Father Vincke, a native of Saginaw, was ordained in 1999 after receiving a Master of Divinity Degree from Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit. He served as Parochial Vicar of St. Thomas the Apostle, Ann Arbor, and was the first director of Bethany House, the diocesan youth retreat center in DeWitt. He has served as Director of Seminarians since 2003.